Lord of Caldera-Chapter 322 A Duel

"This is insane," Halken thought, his pupils trembling as though an earthquake had struck. He had stepped out of the gates only to face the worst possible scenario he could have imagined.

Originally, he had come out to issue a duel challenge. Such challenges before battle weren't uncommon. Winning a duel could demoralize the enemy and bolster one's own forces, not to mention reducing the number of enemy knights. Even if the challenge was refused, it would make the opposing side seem cowardly in the eyes of their soldiers.

But now that he was here, Halken realized he didn't have the luxury to follow through.

"Damn it, what do I do now? I can't go back."

If he issued a duel challenge, one of the monsters standing across from him was bound to answer—either that infamous beast himself or one of his equally terrifying retainers.

Either way, Halken could only see one outcome: his body split in two by a single stroke. Worse, there was now an additional monster among them. But retreating would ruin the name of the Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company.

"Wait a minute. Why am I even thinking about winning or losing? That's not the issue here."

Halken's eyes snapped open as realization struck. Even if he somehow survived this duel, more battles awaited. With that monster here, the fall of this fortress was inevitable.

Survival—his own and that of his company—was what truly mattered. If sacrificing a little reputation could achieve that, it wasn't a bad trade.

"Listen!" Halken roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield.

"I am Halken Rugos, commander of the Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company! I challenge you to a duel! Face me if you are no coward!"

The allied forces hesitated momentarily at Halken's bold declaration. The reputation of the Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company was nothing short of legendary.

But their hesitation quickly gave way to chuckles among the nobles.

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"A duel, you say? You must have quite the confidence in your strength."

"Well, it is the famous Crimson Wolf. I suppose it's understandable."

"Still, I think the Crimson Wolf picked the wrong day to bare its fangs. Haha!"

Their laughter soon turned into calls of encouragement aimed at Sylas.

"Your Excellency! Show that arrogant stray wolf its place!"

"Isn't it amusing how a mere wolf dares to bark at the descendant of dragons?"

"The commander of the Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company will learn the true vastness of the world today!"

While Halken's reputation was well-known, the nobles were confident in Sylas. No matter how strong the Crimson Wolf was, it was nothing compared to the warriors on their side, who were almost godlike in strength.

Sylas let out a soft chuckle at the nobles' outbursts. "So this is what it's like to bask in borrowed authority."

Still, something about Halken's behavior puzzled him. "He saw me, didn't he? What's he planning?"

In Sylas's estimation, Halken was a middling fighter. While he was at the peak of human ability, he was several steps below those of ancient bloodlines. Halken surely understood this gap in strength, so why issue the challenge?

"Well, I'll find out soon enough," Sylas thought, grabbing his reins and shouting,

"Very well! As commander of this army, I shall face you myself!"

-WAAAHHH!

The allied soldiers erupted into cheers. Having witnessed Sylas's prowess in battle, they were confident in his victory. Amidst the enthusiastic cries, Sylas rode down the hill to meet Halken, their eyes locking.

"It's been a while, Halken. How have you been?" Sylas asked with a faint smile.

"I've been well. I never thought we'd meet again like this, though," Halken replied, forcing a grin.

"Neither did I. But war is war," Sylas said curtly, unsheathing his sword with a chilling metallic ring.

Sylas clearly intended to keep their conversation short and finish the fight quickly. But before he could say more, Halken spoke again, raising his voice just enough to carry across the field.

"Wait! I have a proposal for you, Dragonslayer!"

"A proposal? What sort of proposal?"

"I propose not a single duel, but a series of duels! The entire Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company will take part!"

"…What?"

Sylas blinked, momentarily caught off guard. The nobles and soldiers behind him were equally stunned.

The unexpected proposal left everyone bewildered, but none more so than the members of the Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company.

"What the hell is the commander thinking?"

"A series of duels? If he orders it, I'll fight, but still…"

"Did anyone get a heads-up about this?"

"Nope. Looks like he just came up with it now."

The mercenaries whispered among themselves but managed to maintain a composed front as they moved toward the gate. They couldn't afford to let the enemy sense any discord—it would lower morale. For now, they had no choice but to play along.

As the mercenaries gathered near the gate, Halken called out again.

"What say you? Will you accept?"

"Just one question," Sylas said, his voice calm yet sharp. "Surely, you don't mean to say each person gets only one duel?"

"Not at all! As long as you can keep winning, you may fight as many times as you like!"

"Hmm."

Sylas scratched his head. Essentially, this was a setup for an execution, but Halken's true motives remained unclear.

Apparently, Sylas wasn't the only one confused. A mercenary sidled up to Halken, whispering urgently.

"Commander, what the hell are you up to?"

"Shut up and stay quiet. I'm doing this to keep you all alive."

"Alive? You're making less sense by the second."

Ignoring the grumbling mercenary, Halken continued, "But first, we must set some rules!"

"Rules?" Sylas raised an eyebrow.

"If someone loses but survives, the defeated party must pay the winner one chest of gold as ransom! What do you think of that?"

The sheer magnitude of the offer left everyone stunned. A chest of gold as ransom? That was an exorbitant sum, more fitting for the heir of a noble family or a count's second son than a mere knight.

"D-Commander, isn't that too much for a ransom?" one mercenary murmured nervously.

Halken ignored the protests and shouted once more, "What do you say? Do you accept these terms?"